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Big Data, and the derived analysis techniques, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, have been considered a revolution in the modern practice of medicine. Big Data comes from multiple sources, encompassing electronic health records, clinical studies, imaging data, registries, administrative databases, patient-reported outcomes and OMICS profiles. The main objective of such analyses is to unveil hidden associations and patterns. In cardiac surgery, the main targets for the use of Big Data are the construction of predictive models to recognize patterns or associations better representing the individual risk or prognosis compared to classical surgical risk scores. The results of these studies contributed to kindle the interest for personalized medicine and contributed to recognize the limitations of randomized controlled trials in representing the real world. However, the main sources of evidence for guidelines and recommendations remain RCTs and meta-analysis. The extent of the revolution of Big Data and new analytical models in cardiac surgery is yet to be determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chondroitin sulphate is a complex polysaccharide having important structural and protective functions in animal tissues. Extracted from animals, this compound is used as a human anti-inflammatory drug. Among bacteria, Escherichia coli K4 produces a capsule containing a non-sulphate chondroitin and its development may provide an efficient and cheap fermentative production of the polysaccharide. Results: A random N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis was performed on E. coli K4 to isolate mutants showing an increased production of chondroitin. Several mutants were isolated, one of which, here named VZ15, produced about 80% more chondroitin than the wild type E. coli. We found that the mutant has a missense mutation in the codon 313 of kfoC, the gene encoding chondroitin polymerase (K4CP), with a change from arginine to glutamine. A docking analysis to explain the increased productivity of the K4CP enzyme is presented. Conclusion: The enhanced chondroitin production by the E. coli K4 mutant reported here shows the validity of the strain improvement strategy for more cost-friendly fermentative processes in the production of this pharmaceutically important but so-far expensive polysaccharide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]